Carrier vehicles of this type are particularly suitable for the transport of automobiles which have broken down, or which are to be impounded.
In the present state of the art loading devices are known which are constituted of a loading platform pivotable about a transverse axis disposed at the rear of an auxiliary frame or chassis. This auxiliary chassis is intended to be installed on the frame or chassis of a standard vehicle carrier. The swinging or rocking movement of the loading platform is carried out by means of a hydraulic jack which, on one hand, is supported on a loading platform, or on a carrying frame, and on the other hand on a fixed point of the auxiliary chassis. In order to obtain sufficient leverage at the start of the swinging movement, it is necessary to decouple the support point or support region of the hydraulic jack at a region below the plane of the auxiliary chassis.
In effect, the encroachment of the hydraulic jack into a region below the plane of the auxiliary chassis results in numerous incoveniences or difficulties, that is, such usually embodies interference with important operational parts of the vehicle carrier. In order to free a sufficient space for the functioning of the hydraulic jack, it is frequently necessary to modify the hydraulic brake lines, pneumatic lines, lines serving for fluid leakage flow, or for the supply of gas, which entails not only an additional cost incurred by this modification, but also results in general in a limitation of the warranty usually given by the manufacturer of the vehicle carrier which has been so modified.
In the prior art it has also been proposed to decouple the axis of rotation of the loading platform below the plane of the auxiliary chassis so as to, in effect, obtain a leverage action, even though the hydraulic jack is coplanar with the chassis, and the loading platform is in a lowered position. An implementation of this type is, however, in any case less desirable, as it requires unacceptable structural alterations on the auxiliary chassis, on the loading platform, and/or on the vehicle frame.